Apple, legendary for its secrecy, has a distinct tradition when it concerns deals to buy small companies–one surrounded with some confusion Monday.

The Silicon Valley giant typically doesn’t announce such acquisitions, waiting until someone in the media reports them or contacts Apple. Then it issues a boilerplate comment: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

That phrasing effectively confirms that a deal happened, but sheds no light on the details or Apple’s motivations.

So heads were scratching after Apple issued that statement Monday in connection with a digital mapping company called BroadMap, only to have the deal denied by the apparent Twitter feed of that company.

The did-they or didn’t-they started when Apple news site 9-to-5 Mac published a report trying to identify some of the 15 companies that Apple had acquired in the past fiscal year to Sept. Only two-thirds of those companies have been identified through news reports. The report said Apple likely acquired BroadMap and a note-taking app Catch.

Apple effectively confirmed the acquisitions, which seem a few months old, with its stock statement. After other media followed-up with stories confirming the original 9-to-5 Mac report, the Twitter feed that appears to belong to BroadMap issued this response:

“Sorry to disappoint everyone but contrary to current reports @BroadMap has not been purchased by Apple.”

The phone number for BroadMap’s media relations is not connected and its main switchboard leads to different voicemails.

However, other evidence suggests that a deal actually happened. For starters, what appears to be the LinkedIn page of BroadMap Chief Executive Daniel Perrone says BroadMap was acquired by a Fortune 5 company.

(Technically, Apple is #6 on the Fortune 500, but it seems like the most likely acquirer for BroadMap considering the other companies ahead of it on the list include Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Phillips 66, and Berkshire Hathaway).

Also, a handful of former BroadMap senior executives have updated their LinkedIn pages to indicate that they are now working on Apple’s Maps team.

Here’s one possible explanation from blogger James Fee: He says that Apple bought BroadMap with key staff and management joining the company. However, it licensed the technology back to BroadMap, which is still serving existing clients.